TEACHING ENGLISH ONLINE WITH SONG PIECES 4!

SONG PIECES is back! By using various short song extracts, it injects fun to English language classes. It also works perfectly with online students creating interaction and collaboration between them to identify specific things in the lyrics, in a light, but memorable way.

SONG PIECES is fast-paced, and provides extra energy and fun at any moment the teacher needs: Review, warm-up, consolidation, or as a simple reward activity

Description: In this ELT song-based activity, students work in teams (or individually), listen to 7 different short song extracts, and identify different grammar structures and vocabulary in each one.

Language level: all levels
Learner type: All ages
Skills: listening and writing
Topic: varied
Language and grammar: numbers, parts of the body, frequency adverbs, adjectives, verbs, verb tenses (present continuous, present perfect, simple past), parts of the house, clothes, tag questions, time expressions.
Materials: edited mp3 files for the songs used
Duration: 20 - 30 minutes
Downloadable materials:  instructions (pdf); Song Extracts (mp3 files)

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1.

Divide students into pairs or trios (it can also be done individually, depending on the number of students), and tell them they are going to listen to various extracts of songs and in each one they have to listen to different things and write them down on a blank sheet of paper.

Step 2.

Before playing each extract, say what you want the students to listen to and make sure they know it. In order to do that, ask them if they can give you examples of the words they must listen to.

Example:
Students, in this first extract, you have to listen to a frequency adverb!
 Do you remember what this is? Give me some examples.

Step 3.

Tell them they have 3 chances to try to get the right word. Then, play the first extract 3 times and they write down the answer for number 1.

Step 4.

Check what the teams wrote down (you can use the chat feature of the application you’re using with your online students. ex: in-meeting chat in zoom , and ask them to use it to send you the answers. Assign points. (1 for each right word, if there is more than 1 word in the recording)

Step 5.

Repeat steps 2, 3, 4 for the next song extracts. The team with more points, in the end, is the winner!

Suggestions of things to be found in each song extract:

(OBS: choose ONLY ONE of the suggestions for each song, according to your class level – of course, you can choose more – it all depends on your students)

Song 1 suggestions: 
verbs in the past: (made, was, knew, thought)
Part of the house: (kitchen)
Family relationship: (brother)
Part of the body: (hands)
Frequency adverb (never)

Song 2 suggestions: 
verb in the past (woke up)
Parts of the day (night, morning)
Means of communication (phone)
Verb in the negative (don’t know)

Song 3 suggestions: 
things you find in a house: (bed)
Verb to be: (I’m, you’re not, there’s )
Verb in the past (said, meant)
Modal verb (can’t)
Part of the body (hands)

Song 4 suggestions: 
noun in the plural form (friends)
Verb in the present continuous (you’re crying)
Verb in the present perfect (I have been)
Frequency adverb (always)
Adjectives (okay, sincere)

Song 5 suggestions: 
part of the body (hands)
Adjective (lucky)
Tag question (do we?)

Song 6 suggestions: 
part of the body (head)
Family relationship (daughter)
Time expressions: (yesterday, year/ a year ago)

Song 7 OBS: EXTRA HARD (give double points!)  
suggestions: 
numbers (19, 25)
Clothes (jeans)

List of songs (+ lyrics key) featured in this original song-based activity:

Song 01 - Didn't I - [One Republic] 
Do you remember all those plans
That we made after too many drinks
In the kitchen of your brother's apartment?
When life was like a wishin' well
4:00 AM, I'm raisin' hell
Damn, I knew you oh-so well
Never thought we'd ever have to go without
Take you over anybody else, hands down 
Song 02 - Old me - 5 seconds of summer  
Never a night alone, anywhere you wanna go
Woke up in the morning wearing someone else's clothes
Pictures in my phone with people I don't know
Woke up in the morning, how the hell'd I make it home?
Song 03 - Falling - Harry Styles 
I'm in my bed
And you're not here
And there's no one to blame but the drink and my wandering hands
Forget what I said
It's not what I meant
And I can't take it back
Song 04 - not ur friend - jeremy zucker 
I think you might be okay
Could care less what your friends say
Well, I'd rather sit in silence
Then be here while you're crying
Darling watch me disappear
Ignorance is bliss I hear and
I have always been sincere to you
Oh babe
Song 05: Canada - Lauv feat Alessia Cara 
How you talk with your hands
And how you sigh like a movie
And we got luck so bad, we have to laugh
I guess we're lucky that
We don't need much outside of us, do we?
Song 06 - everything I wanted - jp cooper (cover billie eilish) 
I tried to scream
But my head was under water
They called me weak
Like I'm not somebody's daughter
Could've been a nightmare
But it felt like they were right there
And it feels like yesterday was a year ago
But I don't wanna let anybody know
'Cause everybody wants something from me now
And I don't wanna let 'em down
Song 07 wish you were sober - conan gray 
I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish
I wish you were sober
Nineteen, but you act twenty-five now
Knees weak, but you talk pretty fly, wow
Ripped jeans and a cup that you just downed
Take me where the music ain't too loud

That’s it for this week! I hope this activity is helpful and enjoyable!

OBS: check out previous activities just like this one:

Song Pieces 1

Song Pieces 2

Song Pieces 3

These song-based lesson plans are sure to spice up your classes! However, would you like to think, feel and act more creatively on your own to be able to turn ANY song you want into an engaging lesson plan?
HERE are TIME-SAVING ideas that do the heavy work so you can focus on the most important: INSPIRING and MOTIVATING YOUR STUDENTS to learn CREATIVELY!